This is issue four of the 29th volume of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth. With its publication, we return to our biweekly publishing schedule, so watch for a new issue every other Friday from now until Labor Day. There was a time when I approached this season of the year with trepidation, but no more. I’m convinced that our talented new Letters staff will not only be up to the challenge but bring some exciting new issues all summer long.▽
A little over a year has passed since my husband and co-founder and Executive Director of CAMP Rehoboth passed away. In that time our organization has done an incredible amount of work to ensure that CAMP Rehoboth will continue long after we are gone. Both the Board of Directors and the staff have worked hard throughout this transition—and I thank them all. For all of us, the work would have been a great deal harder without the enormous contribution of Sondra Arkin in a multitude of roles including transition manager, staff analysis consultant, member of the long-range planning committee, and acting communications manager—and all as a volunteer. In this issue, Sondra takes a guest turn in my CAMPmatters column, providing insight on the staff changes taking place at CAMP Rehoboth—and most importantly introducing our new communications manager, Mary Shockley. Welcome Mary! And thank you Sondra!▽
While we are months away from the next national election, both LGBTQ Democrats and Republicans are taking notice of South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s campaign for president of the United States—and apparently, so are a great many others. Beyond politics, he and his husband model the progress we have made as a community since Stonewall. To be sure, that work is not complete—especially in conservative religious circles—but it is a refreshing change from the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric coming from the current administration, and especially the vice-president. As divided as we are on politics in this country, calm voices of reason are refreshing, and might explain the enthusiasm for the mayor. Young, gay, reasonable, and well spoken—this is fascinating to watch! It is certainly beyond the ordinary story we have come to expect from our candidates. I am guardedly optimistic.▽
Here in Delaware we are fortunate to have laws protecting our LGBTQ community, but some of those protections were hard fought and long in coming. On July 2, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. we will celebrate a “Decade of Equality” with the 10-year anniversary of the signing of SB-121—the bill that added sexual orientation to non-discrimination legislation in Delaware—with a joint reception at the Rehoboth Museum. That event is part of the CAMP Rehoboth exhibit now in the permanent collection of the museum. In the meantime, for those of you who attended the bill signing at CAMP Rehoboth, we ask that you send us a quote about that day or a favorite high-resolution photo. Send comments and photos to editor@camprehoboth.com.▽
Use that same email address when sending personal news to share: wedding photos, obituaries, and travel photos that include Letters from CAMP Rehoboth. On the latter, please use a recent issue of Letters. We are glad to see that ancient issues have endured the test of time, but they will not secure a place in the magazine. Don’t have a current issue? Use an iPad with the cover of the latest issue—always available, along with a page-turning PDF version, on the CAMP Rehoboth website at camprehoboth.com.▽
Unbelievably, the Memorial Day issue of Letters hits the stands on May 17. From now through Labor Day weekend the summer will tumble by at a far-too-rapid pace. Already we are preparing Sundance 2019 materials for mailing, tickets are going on sale for summer events, and we are even signing up vendors for the CAMP Rehoboth Block Party in October. Our Monday morning weekly email blasts show that the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center is a busy place. We have art shows, performances, workshops, support groups, exercise programs, and much more. Stop by this summer and check it out.▽